Bolster chair with foldable seat that is vertically adjustable when folded into a vertical position

Abstract

A bolster chair includes a seat having a horizontal position to support a seated user and an upwardly folded vertical position where it enables a user to stand in a space bordered by back and side walls of the bolster chair. The vertical position of the seat is height adjustable so that users of differing heights may lean against the seat when standing in the bordered space. When the seat is in its vertical configuration, the user may displace a handle in a first direction to lock the plunger and the seat into a position of vertical adjustment and to cause a pair of locking members to extend and to lock the seat so that it cannot be folded into a horizontal position. Displacing the handle in an opposite direction releases a gas spring plunger to unlock the seat for vertical adjustment and retracts the pair of locking members.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A bolster chair, comprising: 
       a seat having a horizontal position adapted to support a seated user;  
       an upstanding back wall positioned rearwardly of said seat;  
       a pair of upstanding, transversely opposed side walls positioned on opposite sides of said seat, each side wall being disposed at a right angle to said back wall, and each side wall having a depth sufficient to support a person standing in front of said back wall if external forces cause said person to fall towards either side wall;  
       each side wall extending vertically from a top of said back wall to a plane occupied by said seat when said seat is disposed in said horizontal position so that a person standing forwardly of said back wall is protected from falling to either side by said side walls;  
       said seat having an upwardly folded, vertical position so that a user may stand in a space bounded by said back wall and said pair of opposed side walls when said seat is in said upwardly folded, vertical position;  
       height adjustment means for adjusting the height of said seat when said seat is in said upwardly folded, vertical position;  
       a locking means having an unlocked position and a locked position;  
       said locking means when in said unlocked position enabling said height adjustment means to adjust the height of said seat when said seat is in the upwardly folded, vertical position;  
       said locking means when in said locked position preventing said height adjustment means from adjusting the height of said seat; and  
       said locking means when in said locked position preventing deployment of said seat in said horizontal position;  
       whereby a standing user may lean against said seat and said side walls when said seat is in said upwardly folded, vertical position; and  
       whereby said upwardly folded, vertical position of said seat is adjustable in a vertical plane to accommodate users of varying heights.  
     
     
       2. The bolster chair of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       said height adjusting means including a cylinder having a plunger that is retractable and extendable relative to said cylinder;  
       a control means for selectively retracting and extending said plunger relative to said cylinder; and  
       said plunger being connected to said seat so that said seat is raised when said plunger is extended and so that said seat is lowered when said plunger is retracted.  
     
     
       3. The bolster chair of  claim 2 , wherein said locking means includes a handle that is pivotally mounted to a preselected part of said seat and movable in a plane of said seat between a said locked position and said unlocked position. 
     
     
       4. The bolster chair of  claim 3 , wherein said locking means includes a pair of slideable mounted locking members having an extended position that locks said seat in said upwardly folded, vertical position and a retracted position that unlocks said seat so that said seat may be folded into a horizontal position. 
     
     
       5. The bolster chair of  claim 4 , wherein said control means includes a control rod, said control rod having a first end pivotally secured to said handle and a second end disposed in controlling relation to said plunger so that said plunger is locked against movement when said handle is in said locked position and said plunger is movable when said handle is in said unlocked position. 
     
     
       6. The bolster chair of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       a pair of guide tracks for holding said seat in said horizontal position and in said vertical position, and for guiding said seat as the seat is displaced from said horizontal position to said vertical position and from said vertical position to said horizontal position;  
       each guide track of said pair of guide tracks having an inverted L-shape that includes a truncate part and an elongate part disposed normal to said truncate part.  
     
     
       7. The bolster chair of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
       a pair of transversely disposed frame members that form a part of said seat, said pair of frame members including a first frame member and a second frame member;  
       a roller member disposed on opposite ends of each frame member of said pair of frame members;  
       each roller member being disposed in said truncate part of said guide tracks when said seat is deployed in said horizontal position;  
       each roller member being disposed in said elongate part of said guide tracks when said seat is deployed in said vertical position;  
       said roller members of said first frame member being disposed in said truncate part of said guide tracks and said roller members of said second frame member being disposed in said elongate part of said guide tracks when said seat is disposed in an intermediate position between said horizontal and vertical positions.